1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to a recording apparatus, such as a facsimile and a copying apparatus, and, more particularly, to a recording apparatus having a structure which operates to feed individual sheets of paper to a recording section provided in the recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 10 shows a conventional facsimile apparatus 1, which includes a recording section 3 and a cassette 5 for storing paper. Although not shown in the drawings, the recording section 3 contains well-known components for recording an image on each paper. The facsimile apparatus 1 further includes a sheet handling device 7 behind a side wall cover 9 for feeding individual sheets of paper from a cassette 5 to the recording section 3.
FIG. 11 shows a cross-section view taken along line X--X of FIG. 10 showing the feeding structure. In FIG. 11, the cassette 5 is shown to include a spring 6 with a follower board 10. The cassette 5 is installed in the housing so that the spring 6 urges a stack of papers P toward a roller 8 provided in the apparatus 1. The roller 8 is driven in rotation to feed paper in a direction A. The cover 9 is pivoted in the housing of the apparatus 1 to open in a direction Y.
The illustrated sheet handling device 7 includes a base 11 having a recess 13 that receives a spring 15 and a cylinder portion 17 of a paper elamping device 19. The paper clamping device 19 has a pad 21. The spring 15 urges the cylinder portion 17 and the pad 21 toward a roller 23. The roller 23 rotates in a direction Z and feeds each sheet of paper to a guide portion 25. The pad 21 functions as a drag to inhibit feeding of more than one sheet in the event that a plurality of sheets are accidently fed from the cassette 5 by the roller 8.
The cylinder 17 has a pin 27. A lever 29 is pivotably attached to the base 11 to engage the pin 27 when the user pushes the lever 29 downward. Such action results in a space between the pad 21 and the roller 23. Thus, if a paper jam occurs at the position between the pad 21 and the roller 23, the user can remove a jammed paper from the space between the pad 21 and the roller 23 after opening the cover 9 in the direction Y.
However, the opening through which the lever 29 is accessed is very narrow and the lever must be held against the spring to remove a jammed sheet of paper. Therefore, it is very difficult for the user to move and hold the lever downward after the occurrence of a paper jam.
Further, the requirement for the lever 29 to be pivotably mounted to the base 11 complicates the structure of the paper clamping device 19.